OUR VIEW

Liquid natural gas can be good option

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Nov 13, 2012

Overly reliant on imported oil as its main source of energy, Hawaii has set the laudable goal of receiving 40 percent from renewable sources such as wind, solar and geothermal by 2030. That should not preclude a less expensive fossil fuel from being used for power generation, and natural gas can become an obvious player. That, coupled with the crucial need to keep consumer energy costs in check, make a good case for approval of liquified natural gas (LNG) here, potentially to develop onto a larger scale.
Hawaii Gas, formerly known as The Gas Co., is asking the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to approve that path so it can begin shipping natural gas, in liquid form, in refrigerated tanks later this year from the West Coast. It would be converted back to its gaseous form at Honolulu Harbor's Pier 38 near Nimitz Highway and injected into its existing Hawaii pipeline.

Overly reliant on imported oil as its main source of energy, Hawaii has set the laudable goal of receiving 40 percent from renewable sources such as wind, solar and geothermal by 2030. That should not preclude a less expensive fossil fuel from being used for power generation, and natural gas can become an obvious player. That, coupled with the crucial need to keep consumer energy costs in check, make a good case for approval of liquified natural gas (LNG) here, potentially to develop onto a larger scale.

Hawaii Gas, formerly known as The Gas Co., is asking the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to approve that path so it can begin shipping natural gas, in liquid form, in refrigerated tanks later this year from the West Coast. It would be converted back to its gaseous form at Honolulu Harbor's Pier 38 near Nimitz Highway and injected into its existing Hawaii pipeline. Login for more...